Telenav today opened its free Scout for Apps service to all mobile web and app developers. Scout for Apps gives developers an easy way to offer consumers free, turn-by-turn, voice-guided GPS navigation, directly from their app or website via HTML5. Here are the details:

Scout for Apps is the first HTML5, browser-based, voice-guided turn-by-turn GPS navigation service for mobile phones. Developers can integrate the service by simply adding one line of code, making it ideal for social, travel and shopping apps, or any other app or website that includes points of interest, places or addresses.

Avantar, the media company behind the Yellow Pages app with more than 90 million monthly listings, was one of the first developers to test Scout for Apps and today launched Scout for Apps with an update of its popular app.

"Previously, when users clicked on an address in our Yellow Pages app, we provided a standard map experience to help users get to their desired destinations," said Adrian Ochoa, CEO of Avantar. "Now with Scout for Apps, our customers will receive full-blown turn-by-turn, voice-guided directions, and they will never have to leave our app to get those directions and guidance. We love being able to offer this type of service on our platform."

Additionally, Telenav has integrated its browser-based navigation service on the Scout website (www.scout.me), which helps people discover and explore new places and events before they hit the road. Once a user has found an event or place on Scout.me, they can select "Navigate" and choose "Phone" or "Email" in order to send the link to themselves or to someone else via a text message or email. In addition, they can post it to their Facebook wall or share the link via Twitter. Users with compatible phones can then click on the link to launch voice-guided, turn-by-turn directions from Scout for Apps.

"Because Scout for Apps is browser-based, we will be able to rapidly and consistently update the service moving forward," said Sal Dhanani, co-founder and vice president of products for Telenav. "Further, these updates will roll out immediately to consumers, so developers know that their customers will continue to receive our most updated technology. We will continue to work with developers to add or update features and enhance usability based on feedback."

Other developers who are already working to implement Scout for Apps and plan on soon launching the HTML5 navigation service as part of their apps include:

AroundMe provides its users the ability to search for nearby restaurants, hotels, movie theaters and other businesses based on category and distance from their current location. AroundMe will integrate Scout for Apps to give users navigation to any location they select.

Life360 Family Locator uses GPS and other location technology that allows more than 14 million people to locate their family members using their phones, providing a convenient safety tool that delivers peace of mind. Life360 Family Locator will include Scout for Apps so that, for example, parents can navigate with turn-by-turn directions to pick up their kids at their current locations.

WedVite is a mobile invitation app that allows brides and grooms the ability to share their wedding day information with guests. The app includes details such as directions to the venue, the guest list and gift registry information. WedVite will soon include Scout for Apps to provide guests with the ability to get directions to the wedding and reception.

"Kids aren't always great about keeping track of what time it is and where they should be. Maybe soccer practice runs over and then they head to the nearby store for a treat afterwards without notifying their parents. Knowing where your kids are at any moment provides peace of mind in these situations," said Chris Hulls, CEO of Life360. "Scout for Apps means there's one less thing for our customers to have to worry about when it's time to pick their kids up - no more following a dot on a map, reading written directions, or cutting and pasting an address into a GPS device. Scout for Apps was so simple to add to our app and it offers so much value to our customers. If you have a location component to your app, I don't know why you wouldn't use it."

Here is a video demo of Scout for Apps showing how easy it is to add HTML5 browser based navigation to apps and the web:

Scout for Apps is currently optimized for the iOS platform. Telenav plans to optimize Scout for Apps on Android later this year.

About the Scout for Apps Open Developer Program

Telenav's standard open developer program is free for developers and is supported by mobile ads. If developers would prefer to offer Scout for Apps without ads, Telenav will provide flexible licensing options. Interested developers can find more information on integrating Scout for Apps into their mobile website or app at developer.telenav.com Telenav has also launched a support community for developers using Scout for Apps and encourages developers to visit this community to ask questions, share ideas or give feedback.